"An hour, really?" Frost whined, holding his head and leaning back against the smooth pine walls of Santoff Clauson.

"Yep," Brulant pushed himself from the floor and stood beside Frost, who flinched at the sudden electric shock that was caused by the tension of the two standing too close, "Out like a light the whole time. Had to carry you back. You need to lose some weight or something. You might look like a twig, but you're ridiculously dense."

"Or maybe you need to grow some muscles. Why'd you throw that much energy at me anyhow?" Frost asked, rubbing his head where it had hit the ground. The burn had mostly healed at this point, partly due to his being a mostly immortal spirit, and partly due to being in the blizzard. The cold helped speed the healing process, and for that, Frost could not be more thankful.

"I was testing you. You lost, by the way," Brulant added smugly, a smirk spreading across his face as he examined his fingernails, blew on them, and glanced up at Frost, hoping for a reaction, but was disappointed to get none.

"I wasn't throwing my weight around back there. I was only getting started," Frost said, watching Brulant carefully, wondering how he would take this information. He did not react, but simply stared back at Frost, and Frost could have sworn that his eyes burst into flame for a second, their stare was so heated.

"Look, I-"

"Who wants cookie?" North came bursting into the room the two boys were occupying, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies. North set the cookies down on a nearby table, grabbed two, and sat down in the chair next to them.

"How are you feeling, Jack?"

"Fine." "Could've been better." The two said at the same time, and North burst out laughing.

"I was asking one with whole in sweater, but I am glad to hear both are doing alright. So," North continued, his laughter abated, a serious tone replacing his light-hearted amusement, "While you boys were out playing, I have been working on potion. Now, before you say anything," North watched the boys, both of whom had leaned forward when North mentioned the potion, it being a touchy subject for both spirits, "it is not tested. Not safe, and I will not try to see if safe by testing with you." North held a stern contact with Frost, to get his point across, "But I will test later, to see what will happen. I will use cookies. Fragile, delicious, and a nice treat for person on other side. I will send note with cookies, and hopefully they will follow instructions and we will find out if potion work, yes?"

"I suppose," Frost said, pushing himself off of the wall and grabbing his stomach, which was still sore and stung as he moved, "but what if it doesn't work? What then? We can't just keep sending cookies over. Look, it's not that I don't like you guys or anything, but it's still dangerous for me to be here. I mean, just standing next to Sunburn here is causing tension in the air. I'm going to get myself electrocuted if I stand next to him for too long, and I think I'm slowly freezing him to death," Frost sighed, "It's just, it's dangerous for Earth to not have a winter spirit. My Earth was not prepared for my leaving. I need to get back asap, before, you know, anything bad happens, like the world freezing over. And I really do not want another long-winded speech from Mother Nature, pointing out all of my errors over the years." Brulant rolled his eyes and pushed off of the wall as well, standing next to Frost.

"Although I agree with you one-hundred percent, Frostbite," Frost flinched at the nickname, being harshly reminded of his arch nemesis and best friend on his Earth, "I think we should test it first. It could kill you, and if that happens, then there is no way to save your Earth, unless a new winter spirit is chosen, which you seem to think is unlikely."

"Which it is, but I trust North. I trust you, and you said that this was the way back. What if we're just wasting time and it works just fine? I need to get back before this is irreversible." Frost raised his voice just a fraction, but it was just enough for the other two in the room to understand his underlying nervousness. Frost did not want to take the potion, in the likelihood that it might kill him in some horrific way, but he needed to get back to his dimension before something bad happens. Before it's too late.

"One day."

"What?" Both Jacks stared at North, who stood from his chair and dusted off his pants of cookie crumbs.

"Give me one day to test potion. Is not too much to ask and is still well within time limit Mother Nature gave. Deal?" North glanced between the two boys, and watched as their expressions changed to how they were truly feeling at that moment. Frost reflected a strong sense of determination and stress, and Brulant simply frowned, not enjoying the idea in any form, understanding the risks and not liking the chances he had been given. North nodded, their silence an answer in its own right, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving the two spirits to stand together in silent tension, neither wanting to speak first.

The air sparked after a few minutes, and that snapped the boys out of their reverie.

"I hope this works out," Frost said, trying to break the tension.

"I hope you're right," Brulant muttered under his breath, and sighed, feeling that this was only the beginning.